Georgia State Patrol fires 30-plus new troopers for cheating

AP - An entire graduating class of the Georgia State Patrol’s Trooper School has been fired or resigned amid a cheating scandal, the state’s public safety chief said Wednesday.

At a news conference, Georgia Department of Public Safety Commissioner Col. Mark W. McDonough confirmed to news outlets that 32 troopers were fired after being accused of cheating on an online exam for the speed detection operator component of the school’s curriculum. One trooper resigned after the cheating allegations came to light. All 33 are August graduates of the 106th Trooper School.

McDonough said the investigation began in October after officials learned about the allegations from the girlfriend of one of the cadets, who said she took the online test for him. When confronted about that, the trooper told superiors “He was not the only one who cheated, the whole class cheated,” and that’s when the decision was made to investigate the entire class.

McDonough said State Patrol’s investigation confirmed four allegations: every trooper cheated on speed detection operator exam; a cadet helped another cadet with their exam; three cadets assisted another with their exam; and a training instructor printed a makeup exam and permitted two cadets who failed to take it back to their rooms for studying purposes

McDonough said all the graduates signed an oath to uphold professional conduct and standards, which they violated, leading to Wednesday’s dismissals. He added that the troopers used typed notes, received direct assistance and utilized test questions and answers on GroupMe and on a website that aggregates tests. He also said they used two Snapchat groups to facilitate the cheating and get their stories straight as the investigation was ongoing.

McDonough said he’s ordered a complete audit of the training department, which could lead to people higher up being disciplined.

Below is a list of each trooper dismissed:

Erguens AccilienColumbiaPost 21 - Sylvania

David Allan HallPost 6 - Gainesville

Jalin AndersonRichmondPost 33 - Milledgeville

Erik AustellBibbPost 15 - Perry

Evan BauzaChathamPost 11 - Hinesville

Logan BeckCamdenPost 23 - Brunswick

Christopher CatesRabunPost 27 – Blue Ridge

Seferino ChavezClaytonPost 47 – Forest Park

Demon ClarkGreenePost 17 - Washington

Christopher CordellCatoosaPost 5 - Dalton

Clint DonaldsonCowetaPost 49 – Motor Unit

Eric Guerrero CoffeePost 36 - Douglas

Jonathan HayesPauldingPost 29 - Paulding

Nicholas HawkinsWaltonPost 46 - Monroe

Bradley HuntMuscogeePost 2 - LaGrange

Clarence JohnsonRichmondPost 25 - Grovetown

Evan JoynerMuscogeePost 2 - LaGrange

Richard JusticeColumbiaPost 25 - Grovetown

Malcolm MartinezCobbPost 47 – Forest Park

Rebecca MoranGwinnettPost 51 - Gwinnett

Paul OsuegbuBarrowPost 6 - Gainesville

Jose PerezColquittPost 13 - Tifton

Patrick PollettColumbiaPost 25 - Grovetown

Troy PudderHoustonPost 30 - Cordele

Caleb PyleCowetaPost 24 – Newnan

Daysi RamirezHoustonPost 15 - Perry

Gabriel RampyCarrollPost 4 – Villa Rica

Adam SalterPikePost 26 - Thomaston

Jerry SladeCrispPost 30 - Cordele

Kyle ThompsonBerrienPost 36 - Douglas

James VaughanSumterPost 10 - Americus

Brian WhelehanBryanPost 23 - Brunswick

Kelley WhitakerMillerPost 14 - Colquitt

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Reprinted courtesy of the Associated Press

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